Chewable pet toys are known to provide many benefits for animals. Some of the benefits include keeping an animal occupied to reduce stress or boredom, to exercise the animal's jaws, and to clean the animal's teeth and gums. Flexible or elastomeric balls are well known as both pet and human toys. Balls can facilitate many activities for an animal. An owner can play fetch with the animal, the animal can chew on the ball, etc. A ball can be considered a type of chewable pet toy if the ball is pliable or flexible enough that the animal can repeatedly bite on the ball without destroying it. However, most balls are not intended to be animal chew toys. Recently, rubber balls with a felt covering similar to tennis balls have been used in various types of pet toy configurations. These types of balls are sold by themselves as pet toys, or may be incorporated within other structures.
One example of a pet toy that incorporates a ball with other features includes the U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,640. This reference discloses a bone shaped plastic toy with a tubular central portion and partial spherical sockets on each end of the central portion. The sockets are configured to receive and hold a replaceable play ball, such as a tennis ball.
Another example of a pet toy that incorporates a ball with other structure in a pet toy is disclosed in the US Publication No. 20090255482. This reference discloses a ball having a circumferential groove, and a plush body received within the groove when to join the ball and plush body. The ball is configured in two pieces and the two pieces are attached to one another by a threaded connection. The circumferential groove may be sized to match the thickness of the plush toy.
Another example of a pet toy that incorporates a ball with other structure in the pet toy includes the U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,829. This reference discloses a ball throwing apparatus including an elongated shaft with a half spherical cup attached at its distal end. The cup is designed to easily engage and pick up a ball for throwing without having to touch the ball with the hand or fingers.
There are also a number of pet toys that incorporate noise making devices, commonly referred to as “squeakers”. These types of pet toys are typically made from a flexible elastomeric material, such as rubber, plastic, and various formulations thereof. When an animal chews on the toy, a hollow cavity or interior chamber of the toy is deflected such that air is forced through the squeaker device, thereby producing a sound.
Despite the vast number of pet toys that have been developed, most pet toys have but a single or primary feature which makes it attractive to the animal. Alternatively, such pet toys may have but a single or primary feature that encourages an owner to stimulate the animal with the toy and/or interact with the animal to provide play or exercise for the animal. Accordingly, there is still a need to provide a pet toy that may provide multiple benefits for both the animal and owner incorporated within a single toy in which the toy has distinct yet complementary functional features.